http://www.idahostatesman.com/story.asp?ID=27265
Ritter speaks to BSU on Iraq
Former U.N. weapons inspector opposes war effort
Scott Ritter
Former United Nations weapons inspector Scott Ritter believes America is heading to war against Iraq, and he´s a vocal opponent of the possible conflict. Ritter spoke to about 600 people at Boise State University Wednesday evening, saying his mission is to encourage Americans to study the facts behind the country´s relationship with Iraq.
Ritter said there is no evidence that Iraq possesses weapons of mass destruction. Although President George W. Bush has said he intends to disprove Iraq´s claim that it is free of such weapons, Ritter said it is the Bush administration, not Iraq, that is lying.
“Mister President, you´re wrong,” Ritter said. “He´s wrong about a lot of things. And he doesn´t have the evidence to put on the table.”
A five-member committee with Boise State University´s Student Program Board selected Ritter earlier this year during a search for a speaker who would discuss the conflict in the Middle East, executive lectures programmer Ryan McDaniel said.
The board wanted a speaker who would present challenging ideas to the audience, he said, noting that the board has received several phone calls from students who are offended by Ritter´s vocal opposition to the Bush administration.
“We stand behind our decision,” McDaniel said. “We´re not in the business of promoting political ideologies.”
Ritter was a member of the United Nations weapons inspection team from 1991 to 1998. In December of 1998 the team had accounted for up to 95 percent of Iraq´s capability for weapons of mass destruction, Ritter said. He resigned in 1998 because he said he disapproved of the Clinton administration´s policies concerning weapons inspection.
If Iraq has rebuilt its weapons within the past few years, Ritter said it is likely the new weapons inspections team would find evidence of production.
“If they´re producing them, we´ll find evidence. All we need is a fraction of a fingerprint,” Ritter said. “You can´t hide everything. You leave trace evidence along the way.”
Ritter believes the Bush administration is using a theory about false claims from Iraq as a reason to wage war.
Although he describes himself as a conservative Republican, Ritter — a former major in the U.S. Marines — said war against Iraq is a decision he can´t support. And he predicted support for the Bush administration´s stance would change once bloodshed began.
“How much tolerance will there be by the people of Boise, Idaho, when their sons and daughters start coming home in body bags,” he said.
Edition Date: 12-05-2002
